The woods smelled of pine and spring flowers. The grass of the fields remained a deep green from the spring rains, as they rode on into the forest. They rode mostly in
Silence. Afraid to start a torrent of words with just one, like a river that starts with a single drop of rain. They did however continue to glace and look at each other. Sometimes their eyes locked and she blushed and looked down trying to hide a longing.
The road they traveled wound through the forest, going here and there like a pilgrim wandering. It crossed more the a few streams bridged by wooden logs. Some streams ran calm, deep and still, like him she thought. Other ran and bubbled and played music like a young maiden at a fair, like her own personality.
She also wondered if it was a good idea to be here riding along with him in the first place. She accepted his offer of escorting her to the fair, since he was going there himself to enter the joust. Still she had second thoughts the minute she said yes, perhaps a little too quickly.
It was around the mid afternoon when he decided to find a suitable site for the nights rest. He led her, her mount and the pack horse off the road down a side trail. Turning to her, "My lady, we will find a pleasant spot just a bit further down this trail, if my memory serves me well, sheltered with sweet water near enough."
"That is well my lord, I seem to be unused to riding this long, and I could use to stretch my legs." What she though was her rear end was sore, and she wondered if it was all worth the trouble just to go to a fair.
Reigning up his horse at the edge of a meadow, he dismounted and went to her side to help her down off her horse. Leaning over to him, she wondered at the strange feeling she had in her chest as his hands and arms lifted her off the saddle and on to the ground. Her hands griped his arms as she slid down his body and he set her down close to him. Still surprised at how much taller he was when she was this close to him. He smelled of sandalwood and sun kissed warm wool when he was this close, and the tingling in her chest spread down to her belly.
With little small talk they set about making camp. She often caught him looking at her and when she did he would just smile at her and continue with what he was doing. He set up the one pavilion and picketed the horses down stream from the camp site.
"One pavilion my lord, where will you sleep tonight." She asked aloud, thinking of where she would want him to sleep if she dared.
"Aye My Lady, just one for you," He cast an eye at the sky and gauged the weather. "seems the weather will hold it will be a passable night for sleeping outside."
"As you wish my lord." She answered, if just a bit disappointed.
Once the camp was set, he excused himself to fetch water and clean up. Promising to bring back some water to heat up on the campfire for her use.
She waited a few minutes, and then followed him down to the stream, watching him from the safety of a Willow tree that bent down over the water. He took off his tunic and sword belt, and stripped off the thin under tunic leaving him bare from the waist up. Time had added some padding to his middle but his shoulders were broad and still muscled. He splashed the cold water on his chest and she giggled as his sounds reached her. Standing back up he loosened and remover the leather riding pants he wore. Now he stood naked next to the stream. Her breath quickened as she felt her breasts swell and nipples stiffen against the fabric of her bodice.
As she watched him he waded into the stream and washed himself. As he turned to soap himself with the tallow bar she caught a glimpse of his front. She was surprised that he was smooth with little hair, and what there was still remained blonde. Thankfully his chest still looked like a man's chest, so many men as they aged gained unsightly female looking breasts which she hated.
Coming back to the bank he began to dry off with his under tunic. She left the safety of the Willow and crept back to the camp knowing he would soon be back. She affected indifference as he returned with two large cans of water to heat for her. Setting the hot water vessels behind the pavilion, he bade her to clean up.
" M'Lady, your water is ready, I will go currycomb the horses, and see to them while you wash, then I will make us dinner."
"As you wish my Lord, I will await you return, since I am starving." She watched him gather some grooming tools and head down the stream to where the horses were. As she undressed, she wondered if he would doubled back to watch her, as she had done to him. Her bodice came off releasing her full breasts, nipples erect in the sudden chill. Sliding out of her slip and dress, she looked down on a smooth belly, which sloped to the cleft between her legs. Using the tallow soap and hot water she washed herself, still wondering if he watched her from behind a tree somewhere.
After dressing she perfumed herself with a spice from the east, and dressed in new soft clothes, her bottom was still smarted from the hours in the saddle. He arrived in time and set about cooking dinner for them. She marveled at his skill with knife and spices, strange for a man of arms, and in short order the dinner was done. It was wonderful, shared over wine and an open fire as the sun set and the shadows grew into dark. They spoke of many things, she asked questions of his travels and battles, he spoke of far away lands where even the stars are strange, and the sunset is mystical.
"What of the women of these lands, my Lord, did they not please you?"
"I could never deny all the sweet things... I have tasted, My Lady."
"Did none steal you heart?"
"All of them did, but I yearned to return home." He remained quiet, staring at the glowing ember of the fire.
Dark settled on the woods, bring with it the night sounds. She arose and retired to her pavilion, pausing at the door she looked back at him. He still stared at the fire, cloaked in thoughts of what she knew not, or perhaps locked in a moral struggle of his own mind.
Lying abed she fought the temptation to go to him, her body was aroused and feverish. Her hands played his part, wandering over the sensitive flesh of her chest and between her thighs. Still the thought of him just outside and the release she so desired did not come. Falling into fitful half sleep, her mind wandered and she surrendered to the night.
Jolted awake by the crash and boom of thunder, she sat upright, letting the covers fall about her. A lone candle still burned in the tent, casting weird light on the walls. The rain began in earnest, the wind billowing in the sides of the pavilion. Suddenly he was in the door way, his under tunic plastered to his chest with the wet.
"Lady, tis I was wrong about the weather, it is quite wet out there now." She could see his smile in the candle light.
"Come in dear sir, no fault of yours the heavens opened up, pray, dry your self." She arose as he entered and handed him a spare shift for his need. Just then a close lightning bolt shattered the night air, with a ripping crackling boom. She jumped and shook in fear; he closed the distance between them in a second. He gathered her in his arms protecting her from the storm. His face was close to hers and the rain water dripped off of his hair and beard onto her face, he held her tightly against him.
"Take this wetness off." She managed to say, but not wanting him to release her. He stripped the wet shirt off in haste, she returned to hold him close as the thunder echoed around them.
He slid his hand under her chin and tilted her face up to him, his mouth closed to hers. Her eyes closed as he pressed his lips to her, she responded as her hands went by them selves to hold his head. His tongue gently pried open her teeth, and in probing her mouth finding her own tongue waiting and willing. Emotions ripped through her like a fever. He tasted like wine, and smelled of the campfire. His hands slid down from her chin to cup her breasts, as his mouth was still fixed on hers. Feeling his hardness pressing against her belly she pulled back. She looked up into his eyes and then looked down to his waist, pulling back... her hands slid to his hips. She pushed down his pants over his waist, exposing the hardness of his desire, barley contained in a light linen shorts.
